Patricia Ann Soundy died Monday May 8, of congestive heart failure at age 92, in Good Samaritan Society in Grand Island, Nebraska. A native of Farnam, during her adult life Pat also lived in Cozad and Lexington, raising a large happy family of six children with husband Art Soundy. The couple retired to Art’s hometown of Minden for several years.

Pat was born August 20, 1924 in Farnam, Nebraska, the first of John and Margarette Rowland’s three children. After graduation from high school in 1941, Pat completed her Junior Normal School training, then taught country school near Farnam and worked summers in the Farnam Bank. In 1942, she married her high school sweetheart Clinton Wear, Lt. jg USNR, but was not able to join him until 1944. After Clinton shipped to the war in the Pacific, Pat gave birth to their daughter.

A few days before the end of the Pacific War Clinton, a pilot, was lost at sea. In the fall of 1946, Pat took her daughter with her to earn her teaching certificate at Kearney State and returned home in 1947 to teach primary school for the next two years. In the fall of 1949, she met and married the newly arrived Farnam High coach, Arthur D. Soundy.

The couple lived in Farnam a few more years and had four more children (two girls and two boys), before moving to Cozad, where their youngest son was born. In 1960, Arthur was hired as principal of Lexington’s Pershing Primary School, where he remained until his retirement in 1985.

Pat was very active in community work: especially at Lexington Presbyterian Church, where she served in several capacities, including extensive rounds of service to shut-ins and the elderly. She served regularly as a poll worker, tutored Each One Teach One students and was a dedicated hospice volunteer for a full decade. As a blood donor, she earned her 6-gallon pin. Once Pat made contact with a person in need of help, comfort or companionship, she remained committed to that person, often long after her official role had ended. Pat’s lively interest in people, combined with her compassion and ready smile, reflected her enjoyment of her community and all of those rewarding relationships.

Pat is mourned by her six children: Pamela Wear Palmer (Jim), Steve Soundy (Linda), Susan Williams (Roger), Ann Atkins (Jerry), AJ Soundy (Cathleen), and Timothy Soundy (Lisa); eighteen grandchildren; eighteen great-grandchildren; and her younger brother, John P. Rowland.

Pat’s memorial service will be conducted Monday, May 15, in the Minden Presbyterian Church at 2 pm. There will be a visitation from 6-8 pm Sunday evening at the Layton Craig Funeral Home.